Siblings:They Are Watching You

Never under estimate the impact siblings can have on one another.

I played basketball in high school. I never got the opportunity to be in the starting five, but our coach played a "run and gun" style of offense and a pressing defense. We played about ten guys pretty regularly to keep up with that kind of running style of both offense and defense. My senior year I worked extremely hard for the opportunity of more playing time. I was much better at defense than offense. It earned me the right to be the first player off the bench. Some may call that the proverbial "sixth man" and I was usually called on to defend the other opponents' better shooters, even if they were 6 inches taller than me. I was content with being "that guy" on a team that fell just two games short of making the state tournament my senior year.

My brother was a year younger than me and also played basketball. He was an inch taller and a much better shooter. He actually got to start a few games, which didn't bother me much, because I knew he was a better shooter and deserved a starting spot.

My brother went on to play basketball at a junior college. He wasn't recruited there to play. He just wanted to play in college and so he tried out and made the team. I never got to see him play in college because he went to a California college and I was living in Iowa and was never able to travel to see him play.

And now for my favorite question. What's the point? Why I am telling you this story?

Because a few years later, I was talking to my mom and we happened to be talking about my brother and the influence I had on him. I told her I didn't think I had much influence on him at all. I thought we were pretty different from each other. I was in business and he chose to be a graphic artist. She told me that he specifically chose the basketball jersey number I wore in high school when he made the junior college team. She told me that he told her the reason he chose that number was because he had watched me work my tail off in practice and in the games when I was a senior, just to get playing time and never getting the opportunity to start in a game.He knew that he was going to have to work that hard to make the team and to get playing time himself.

My brother never told me that story. I would have never known about it had my mom not shared it with me.I will never forget that story. I had no idea he was watching me to see how hard I was working and that it would make that kind of impact on him.

I used that story to remind my oldest daughter, Larissa that your two year younger sister, Bridgette is watching you. You can have an influence on her for the positive or the negative. She is looking up to you and watching everything you do. Be the role model for her that God would want for you to be. I told the same thing to older step son Karis about his four year younger brother Kenny. Your little brother is looking up to you. You may never hear from them what kind of impact you are making on them and in what way, but you can make a difference in their life for good.

I have seen the influence that both Larissa and Karis have had on their younger siblings, in their faith, academics, athletics and their social behavior. Monica and I are SO blessed they both chose to listen to those directions and to lead their sister and brother well. It has and it will continue to be a blessing to both of them to have made that commitment and then to follow through with it.


Terry Langenberg
Twitter: TheLangenberg
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